What Happened to Baby Cameron?
by: E Walk
(© 2009 by the Author)
 

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Chapter 4

Shopping Experiences

The next morning after breakfast, I looked at the three young boys,  “Does anyone want to go with me to pick up Tim and Denise at the airport.”

Cam sighed, “Guys, we need to go with Dad to make sure he doesn’t get lost.  Kevin, we’ll decorate the tree at the house on the hill tonight, okay?”

It was a repeat performance of the day before when Tim and Denise’s plane landed.  Cam ran to Tim and jumped in his arms and kissed him and Denise.

Ricky asked, “Mr. Michaels, does Cam kiss everyone?”

I put my arms around Randy and Ricky, “I guess maybe we should call him the kissing fool.”

Cam brought Tim and Denise to where I was standing with Ricky and Randy, “This is my brother, Tim, and his girlfriend, Denise.  They’re going to get married in June after Denise finishes going to school.”

For your information:  Tim is a graduate student at Iowa State.  He met his fiancée there.  They are the third wedding we are going to be having in June.  Tim is 23.  He was the NCAA wrestling champion at his weight for two years before he graduated.  He is a graduate assistant coach for the wrestling team at the University.

Denise will be graduating in May with a degree in information science.  She’s from Omaha, Nebraska.  We’ve met her parents and they are wonderful people.  Tim and Denise had spent Thanksgiving with her parents.  Denise’s parents were taking a holiday cruise over Christmas and the New Year‘s so they weren‘t going to be home for the holidays.

After the introductions, Ricky asked, “Cam, are all of your brothers so nice looking?”

“Yep, but they’re really mean?”

Randy looked Tim, “Are you really mean?”

Tim surprised Randy and picked him up and put him over his shoulder, “Look kid, you better give me all of your money or I'm going to drop you on floor and take your clothes and sell them.”

Randy was giggling, “Go ahead.  Since I don’t have any money, maybe people will feel sorry for me like your Dads and give me some money.”

After lunch, I took Kevin and Tim aside, “Guys, it would be great if you could take Ricky and Randy and help them buy some small gifts for people, especially Cam.  Make sure they not only get a Christmas present for him but a birthday present as well.  I’m going to take Cam so he can get the last of his gifts.”  I gave the guys each $100.00.

I took Cam aside, “Cam, we need to go get some Christmas gifts for Ricky and Randy.  Kevin and Tim can take care of Ricky and Randy  while we’re gone.”

When we were driving to the mall, Cam asked, “Dad, what should I buy for Ricky and Randy?  They don’t have anything.  Everyone knows that I’m a spoiled brat.  Are we going to spoil them too?”

I had to stop myself from laughing, “Cam, would it bother you if we spoiled them as well?”

“Dad, I’m not stupid, you and Daddy spoil everyone you love.  I figure that you and Daddy already love Ricky and Randy, so you’ll spoil them, too.  You won’t love them more than me, will you?”

“Cam, I can assure that if Ricky and Randy get to live with us, we’ll love all seven of you guys the same.  Where would you like to go?”

“Dad, can we go to the mall where Daddy’s working.  I’d like to talk to him so I find out what other boys are asking for.  I have everything I need, and I’ll share my things with Ricky and Randy.”

I started to get tears in my eyes.  This child is something else.  When we parked at the mall it was busy, but Cam lead me to where Hank was sitting in his Santa kiosk.  The line to see him was relatively short since this was the last day for the public schools before they were going to be out for the holidays

Hank was surprised when Cam went and sat on his lap.  Hank signified to the attendant to put up a sign saying, ‘Santa will return in ten minutes.’

Hank walked us to the security office.  When we were in the office, Hank picked Cam up and kissed him, “What’s up, son?”

Cam hugged his Daddy, “What are boys the same age as Randy and Ricky asking for.   Dad and I need to buy them some gifts.  Since I already have almost everything I want or need and can share them, what should we buy them?”

“Cam, most of the young boys are asking for things that you already have.  Since Ricky and Randy have nothing, they’ll like anything that you get them.  Why don’t you get them a backpack?”

“Daddy, that’s not very exciting.”

I waited to see how Hank would respond, “But Cam, you could fill the backpack with fun things.”

Cam sighed, “Okay.  Dads, I need to go the bathroom really bad.”

Hank pointed to the bathroom and when Cam was out of sight, Hank looked at me, “Where are Ricky and Randy?”

“Kevin and Tim have taken the two boys to buy presents.”

I told Hank Cam’s comments about being a spoiled brat and he started to laugh.  Cam returned while Hank was laughing and asked, “What’s so funny, Daddy?”

“Your Dad was telling me a joke.  I need to get back to work.  The school children will be arriving soon.  I’ll see you at dinnertime.”

Cam and I went to a store where we could buy backpacks.  Boy was he demanding, “We need the guys’ names written on them so everyone knows who they belong to.  Would you please put the names Ricky and Randy on them?”

The sales clerk frowned, “We’ll have the names sewn on this afternoon.  When will you be picking them up?”

Cam smiled, “I’ll tell my Daddy to pick them up.  Would you please make sure that they’re in big boxes since I want to put some things in them.”

We paid for the backpacks Cam knew exactly where he wanted to go.  By the time we were finished buying what he wanted, I was exhausted.  He looked at me. “Dad, write Daddy a note and tell him to pick up the backpacks.  I’ll get his helper to give it to him so he can bring the backpacks home.  Can we go home?”

When we arrived at the ranch, no one was there except for Ellie and Justin.  Cam took his purchases and hid them, “Dad, where is everyone else?”

“Beats me, I guess they decided to abandon us.”

Cam looked at me, “Dad, be serious.”

“Kevin and Tim probably took them shopping.”

“But Dad, they don’t have any money.”

Cam was sitting on the front steps watching for the boys.  The school bus dropped off his sisters and he waved to them.  It wasn’t long before the thundering herds appeared and Danny and Lionel were playing basketball with Tammy and Lindsey and Louie and David were doing what they do best - wrestling on the ground.

Kevin and Cyndi finally arrived with Ricky, and Cameron lit into them, “Where have you been?  I’ve been worried sick that something bad had happened to you.  Where’s Randy?”

Ricky threw up his hands, “Cam, I don’t know.  He was with Tim and Denise when we left the house.”

Cam was persistent, “Let’s go check the horses and see if there are any new baby horses.”

Kevin and Cyndi came into the house.  Kevin pointed his finger at me, “Dad, don’t ever do that to us again.  Ricky was reluctant to spend any money.  Finally Cyndi threatened him that we were going to buy Barbee dolls for everyone if he couldn’t decide on something.”

Cyndi added, “Ricky looked at everything and even tried to bargain with the salespeople.  The poor salespeople had no idea how to react.  If Ricky didn’t get the results he wanted, we left.”

Our conversation was interrupted by Tim and Denise, they flopped down on kitchen chairs and Tim started on me, “Dad Steve, don’t ever do that to us again.  It was almost impossible to get Randy to buy anything.  I swear he looked at all of the prices before we bought anything.  We had to go to three stores so he could see which store had the best prices.”

Cam, Ricky and Randy came running into the kitchen.  Cam looked at me, “Dad, Anastasia and Natasha had babies today.  Can they be Ricky and Randy’s Christmas presents from you?”

Kevin, Cyndi, Tim and Denise were trying not to laugh.  I took a deep breath, “I suppose so if they care of them and make sure they get lots of exercise.  Did you take Riki Tiki out so he could get some exercise?”

Cam turned, “Whoops, come on guys we need to exercise Riki Tiki.”

After dinner, Tim, Denise, Kevin and Cyndi took the boys to the house on the hill.  Chris had bought a tree so it was ready for the three boys to decorate.  It was about eight thirty when Hank and I received the first call.

I answered, “This is Steve Michaels.”

“Hi Steve, this is Elaine.  I have just received word that Randy and Ricky were adopted by the other couple when the boys were in an orphanage.  I’ll arrange for you to adopt the boys after the New Year if you would like.”

I started to laugh, “Elaine, we would like that very much.  You won’t believe how attached Cam has become to the two boys since they’ve been here.  He’s almost like a mother hen taking care of her chicks.  The three guys are at the house on the hill decorating a tree as we speak, with Chris, Michelle, Kevin, Cyndi, Tim and Denise.  Why don’t you bring the family, Christmas afternoon so we can celebrate Cam’s birthday.  He wants to have a swim party for his birthday party.”

Elaine responded, “Let me check with the family and I’ll let you know.”

The next call was from Cam, “Dad, we’re going to spend the night at the house on the hill.  The tree is decorated and we’re going swimming. Kevin says he’ll bring us back to the ranch in the morning.”

The phone rang a third time.  I had the Cowboy answer it.  “This is Hank Rodgers. … Oh, hi Tad, what’s up? … Tim and Denise and Kevin and Cyndi are already here.  Jacob isn’t going to be here until the 24^th.  …  I don’t think Ramsey is home yet or at least we haven’t seen him. …  Yep, Dad Steve will pick you the day after tomorrow since I’ll be playing Santa at the mall. … We have a surprise for you when you get home.”

I looked at Hank, “I gather that Tad won’t be here until the 23^rd.”

Hank smirked, “Yep, you and the boys will be making another trip to the airport.  He’s going to be arriving at one o’clock the day after tomorrow.”

I punched Hank, “We’re going to have to get new tires with all the trips to the airport.  We need to tell the guys they all need to arrange to arrive and leave at the same time.”

Hank pushed me on my back, “We’ll worry about that next year.  I need to punish you for turning our lives upside down by bringing Ricky and Randy into our lives.  I can’t believe how protective Cam has become of the two boys.”

Hank abused my body so badly that I was sure that I was going to be walking funny for days.

When we went to the kitchen the next morning, Ellie was complaining, “Cowboy, I may need to quit.  I don’t seem to be needed here anymore.”

“Woman, what are you talking about?”

Ellie giggled, “Cowboy, in case you hadn’t noticed, it’s as if Ricky and Randy’s arrival flipped a switch in Cam and he has suddenly grown up.  He’ll be devastated if the two boys don’t get to stay here.”

I hugged Ellie,  “Ms. Ellie, we had a call from Elaine Graham last night and she is going to arrange for me to adopt Ricky and Randy after the first of the year.  So you will be needed around here more than ever.  You will have triple the work each day.  The boys don’t know about this, so don’t say anything just in case something should happen to interfere with the plan.”

Ellie grinned, “I assume that the boys are at the house on the hill since they weren’t in Cam’s room this morning.”

Hank nodded yes, “Kevin will be bringing them back this morning.  It will be interesting to hear Ricky and Randy’s comments about the house on the hill and the swimming pool.”

After breakfast, Hank and I went to the bedroom and were wrapping the last of the presents that we had.  We heard the roar of a motorcycle.  I stepped out on the balcony, “Hi Ramsey, when did you get home?”  Hank had joined me

“I got in late last night.  Is Tad home yet?”

“Tad, called last night and he won’t be home until tomorrow.  I need to go pick him up at one o’clock.”

“Dad Michaels, I’ll go get him for you if you would like.  I understand that you have two more sons.  Where are they?”

“They spent the night at the house on the hill.  Kevin will be bringing them back soon.”

Refresher for everyone, Ramsey Watts Phillips is the young man who was 13 when Kevin found him living in the basement of the house on the hill.  He is a very bright young man and turned out to be a tremendous football player.  He’s the older brother of Lionel and Louie.  He received an academic and athletic scholarship to go to Stanford.  He’s now 19.

Kevin and Cyndi arrived with the three boys.  Cam was out of the car before you could say 1, 2, 3.  Fortunately Ramsey had gotten off the motorcycle or he and the cycle would have been knocked over by the onrushing Cam.  Cam hugged and kissed Ramsey.  “Ramsey, come meet my new brothers.”

After the introductions, Cam looked at Hank and me, “Dads, we’re going to the stable to check on Ricky and Randy’s horses.”

After the three young boys had disappeared, Kevin started, “Dads, Cam is going to be very unhappy if Ricky and Randy don’t get to stay here.”

I looked at Kevin, Cyndi and Ramsey, “Mrs. Graham called last evening and is going to arrange for me to adopt the two boys after the first of the year.  We’re not going to say anything to the boys yet though, just in case something should happen.”

Kevin asked, “Dads, where do you us to put Ricky’s purchases.”

I looked at him, “Why don’t you bring them to our bedroom.  I’ll help him wrap them this afternoon.”

Tim and Denise had arrived.  Tim and Ramsey hugged each other.  Tim looked at Hank and me, “Dads, I put Randy’s purchases in Tad’s and my bedroom.  I told him that someone would help him wrap them today.  Is it okay for us to take the guys for a ride on the horses?  Ricky and Randy have never ridden on a horse.”

Hank answered, “Of course.  The horses all need to be exercised.”

We watched as the five young adults went to the stable.  Hank looked at me, “Stevie, my stud, I need to go to work.  I’ll see you this afternoon about six.  Remind Kevin and Ramsey that they are to go to choir practice with Chris and me tonight.

I walked Hank to his vehicle and he handed me two non descript boxes.  “Give these to Cam so he can put the other things in the backpacks.  When I picked them up yesterday, the sales clerk was laughing and telling me about how precise Cam was when he told the clerk what he wanted done.”

Hank and I watched as six horses come out of the stable.  Cam was on Riki Tiki and was leading the group.  Randy was sitting in front of Tim, and Ricky was riding in front of Kevin.  We watched as Ramsey rode beside Cam and they started to trot toward Dusty and Mimi’s ranch.

As Hank crawled into his vehicle, I kissed him and challenged, “You’d better be prepared to suffer after choir practice, because I’m going to get revenge for how you ravaged my poor body last night.”

He stuck out his tongue, “Promises, promises.”

To be continued... 

Editor's Notes:  This was another very fine chapter of this sequel to We Saw Daddy Kissing Santa Claus.  It is really nice to see what is happening with everyone, now that most of them are all grown up.  It looks as if there will always be small people who need a loving home, and Hank and Stevie seem to be ready and willing to take on that responsibility. It seems to be getting closer and closer to Christmas. I can hardly wait for the next chapter.

Darryl AKA The Radio Rancher

Posted: 09/11/09